Wyoming Business Tips for Oct. 7-Oct. 13

September 28, 2012 — A weekly look at Wyoming business questions from the Wyoming
Small Business Development Center (WSBDC), part of WyomingEntrepreneur.Biz, a
collection of business assistance programs at the University of Wyoming.

By Debbie Gorski, Wyoming Entrepreneur social media
community manager

“I recently attended an event where I rented a booth. People
looked at my products, but I didn’t sell as much as I would have liked. What
strategies can I do to get people to linger longer and get more interested in
my products?” Shelly, Newcastle

I am putting on my customer hat on this question.

I recently attended a
fair -- the Mother Earth News Fair that had more than 250 vendors. I walked
around and looked at all the vendor products. I didn’t need or want anything
specifically, but enjoyed touching and looking at new things. Many vendors were
excited the first day, maybe still the second day, but their energy waned on
the third. I get that, and my energy was low as well.

The few items I did buy were a result of three things: the
vendors were engaging and passionate about their products; the products were
unusual and I had to have them; and crowd pressure.

I bought several books, and people were snatching them up
so quickly that I didn’t want to miss out. Yes, I could have ordered the book, but
it was “the have it in my hands satisfaction” that I craved.

I want to talk about the first reason. I don’t like to be
pushed into buying; that is different from showing enthusiasm and passion.

Ask yourself honestly, “Are you totally in love and believe
in your product?” If you answer no, then maybe you should rethink what you are
doing.

When you don’t believe in your product, it comes through
your body language and your voice. When you are passionate and believe in your product,
it comes through as well. The conversations with people are more engaging. They
will ask questions and talk or listen longer.

If you are sitting in your booth looking bored, I usually
just walk by. If your product interests me, I may look for something to find
more information. This is your cue to engage me. Ask me a question. Don’t ask a "yes" or "no" question – it’s hard to engage a person with such a short answer.

Be prepared ahead of time with questions to elicit more than
a "yes" or "no" answer.

Don’t sit in your retail shop or a fair booth looking bored.
Brainstorm activities to demonstrate your product or activities to engage
a potential customer. Yes, as a consumer, I love some entertainment factor. It doesn’t
have to be elaborate. Something simple will catch my attention.

What are your strategies to engage consumers?

The WSBDC is a partnership of the U.S. Small Business
Administration, the Wyoming Business Council and the University of Wyoming. To
ask a question, call 1-800-348-5194, email wsbdc@uwyo.edu or write 1000 E.
University Ave., Dept. 3922, Laramie, WY, 82071-3922.